The Great Exhibition of the North launched on 22nd June and is set to highlight the thousands of reasons why it’s good to live and work in the North of England. On top of this, we’ve been enjoying the many varied uses of technology across the three trails - here are some of our favourite spots.

The Rocket Reimagined

Step inside the invention that defined a new era of transport through a mixture of Virtual and Augmented Reality technology. The fantastic team at Hedgehog Lab have created a fully immersive experience centred around Stephenson’s Rocket, the famous early steam locomotive returning to its home in Newcastle upon Tyne for the duration of the exhibition.

Robots Then and Now

Trail: Innovation
Location: Life Science Centre, Times Square NE1 4EP

From the Stepford Wives and R2D2 to Wall-E, robots have a firm place in science fiction - but increasingly we're seeing them creep (or wheel) into our real lives. This brilliant, family-friendly exhibition at the International Centre for Life explores our 500-year love affair with the concept and how robotics is being applied in 2018 and well beyond.

Steve Messam - Whistle

Trail: All
Location: Multiple

Whistle’s creator Steve Messam has said that one of his favourite things about this piece of work is that it only exists for twenty seconds every day. The artist has evoked the sounds of steam engines whooshing past Newcastle by installing a sequences of fourteen whistles outlining the old city walls. Each one is programmed using Raspberry Pi that controls the release of compressed air through the brass, sounding at precisely 1pm.

Horse to Hyperloop: The Evolution of Design

Set in a 19th Century horse and carriage repository in the centre of Newcastle (impressively modernised to house a number of local businesses), Horse to Hyperloop explores the past, present and future of transport in this country.
As well as 3D printing, bridge building and other opportunities for all ages, the exhibition’s piece de resistance is a mini hyperloop for you to send your designs whizzing around the building.

Aeons: A Sound Journey for Newcastle

Apart picking up a special pair of headphones from the Millennium Bridge, visitors to Aeons are treated to a guided music walk with contributions including singer Becky Unthank, folk accordionist Martin green and the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North.
There are sensor points along the route that trigger the next section of the performance, so take your own pace and enjoy the tailored combination of sights and sounds.

5 and 6. Aeons: A Sound Journey for Newcastle, 7. Robots Then and Now, 8. The Rocket Reimagined

And of course...

Our “Future Buildings” exhibition allows visitors to step inside the award-winning Old Post Office, exploring the old and new as they are taken on a journey through time. Interactive displays, videos, augmented reality and a chance to create a home of the future forms the basis of the exhibition.

To find out about the exhibition - including the eleven clients we have showcased within it - head over to our dedicated web page.